Vacuum cleaner



Aug. 29, 1950 J. F. CAVANAGH VACUUM CLEANER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.5, 1946 .H mm NN mm F N w J /|M w 5 1 ATTORN J. F. CAVANAGH VACUUMCLEANER Aug. 29, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1946 INVENTOR.

' Filed Oct. 5, .1946

1950 J. F. CAVANAGH I 2,520,877

' VACUUM CLEANER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

BYJQH/V P7 CH VANAGH ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 29, 1950 VACUUM CLEANER JohnF. Cavanagh, Providence, n. 1., assignor to Masury-Young Company,charlcstown, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts This inventionrelates to vacuum cleaners of the portable type, and has for its mainobject to provide a cleaner of compact structure and neat and attractiveappearance which may be operated in congested places, such as garages;machine shops, and in and among articles of furniture without exposingeither the machinery of the device, or the filter bag, to injury. I I

Other objects and novel features or the construction and arrangement ofparts comprising my improved cleaner will appear as the description ofthe invention progresses.

Heretqfore it has been the general practice to attach the filter bag tothe top of the tank unit and permit it to inflate above and'toone sideof said tank unit. The bag is not only exposed to frequentfinjury butthe cleaner assembly is bulky and awkward to use in congested placessuch as machine} shops, garages and among'articles of furniture. I Incarrying out my invention, 'Idispense en tirely with .the looselymounted, inflatable filter bag on the top or on the side'of thejtank ofthe cleaner. In place of the prior cumbersome devices I provide anannular form of filter bag surrounding the tank and enclosed within aguard rail or grill or housing which performs the double function ofprotecting the filter bag against injury, and of furnishing convenientgripping means to move the cleaner from place to place or when emptyingthe tank.

Thus, in m improved cleaner air filter is in the form of an annulussurrou and protected by the grill or gua 'structiqn provides maximum'filterf area for a given volume. It also provides a, gh'jr'fipactcleaner assembly in which the filter is amply protected againstinjury. 1a

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention: I Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partlyin section, of a. vacuumcleaner embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view, taken on the line 2-4 o1 ';=Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view'takn on the line 3-3 01? Fig. 1;

Fig. ,4 is a perspective view of my'improved filr a Fig. is a verticalsection, ta en on the line 5-5 o'fFig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe a r s;

Fig. is a perspective view of the filter bag, and; N

Fig. ,7 is a section taken on the ine 1-1 of Fig.

4, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

clamp for the Applicationbctober 5, 194.6,Serial No. 701,601

9 Claims (01. 183-36 Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig.1, there is shown a cylindrical tank") of suitable diameter and: length,said tank being open at the top and with its top edge rolled at I I toprovide a smooth rounded surface. Adjacent the top of the tank is aperforation through which extends the horizontal arm of an elbow I2 andthe vertical arm of said elbow is positioned to direct matter passingtherethrough downwardly into the-tank I0. To the horizontal arm of theelbow I2 may be removably secured theend of the usual flexible tube I3,as indicated by the dash lines. Adjacent the top of the tank I0 andassociated with the elbow I2, is a flange I4. The flange I4 not onlyacts as a support for the elbow I2, but as a support for a filter bag tobe hereinafter described;

symmetrically arranged about the periphery of the tank ID, near thebottom thereof, are the brackets I5, in which are swivelly mounted thecasters I6, one of such ,brackets being in vertical alignment with theflange I4 and acting as the lower support for the closure member of thefilter bag.

symmetrically arranged about the tank [0, near the bottom thereof, andwith respect to the brackets I5, are the flanges I1. Secured to theflanges I! are the lower ends of pipes or tubes I8. Fitting into thebrackets I5 are the lower ends of ipes or tubes I9. These pipes or tubesI8 and I9 are spaced apart from the outer wall of the tank In and extendupwardly and parallel to the wall of said tank. The upper ends of thepipes or tubes I8 and I9 are secured to Ts 20 which are symmetricallyarranged on the circular, tubular ring 2|. The pipes or tubes I8 and I9,and the circular, tubular ring 2| constitute the grill or guardhereinbefore referred to, forming an enclosing protecting means for thefilter bag to be hereinafter described, and also providing a pluralityof gripping facilities when it becomes necessary to lift the cleaningunit, or when emptying the tank III.

Immediately surrounding the tank III and within the area enclosed by thepipes or tubes I8 and I9 is a surface 22 0f closely disposedprotuberances for providing an air space between the filter bag and tankI 0.

Fitting into the top of the tank I 0 is a cover 23, having on itslowersurface a circumferential groove 24 fitted at its bottom with agasket 25 which engages with the rolled edge II of the tank. I0.Diametrically secured to the sides of the tank I0 are the cars 26carrying the screws 2'! housing in slots 28 cut in the cover 23. The

3 screws 21 are engaged by the wing nuts 29 and by means of which thehousing 23 is secured to the top of the tank l0.

Within the cover 23 is formed a chamber 30, and such chambercommunicates with the interior of the tank III by the passage 3| in thecover 23. Integral with the cover 23 and tangentially arrange d with"respect to the chamber iiiflj is a passage 32 and which passage extendsdown wardly as indicated by 33.

which is secured a fan 37 housed inthe ohamber 30.

shown an improved filter bag 38, substaritia11yiannular in shape,hollow, and rectangular .in cross section. This bag is made of any ofthe well' the members 48 is'prov'ide'd adjacent its top end with a keyhole slot t2 which engages withthe bolt-4'3 carried by the flange it.The lower ends of the split tubular members 55 fit into 'holes "pro-'v'idedone of the brackets i 5 immediately'below the flange it. Thefilter bag isprovidedintermediate its ends and at the'top t'hereof withem:

bular member 2' i,'whiohfits overand is secured at r to the passage 32leading from the chamber -39. In operation, when motor 35 is started,ran 37 is revolved in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 "tosuck thedirt laden air into tank 13 "through connection 52. Any moisturecontained "in the air "drawn into the machh e accumulates'within"said'tank. 'The dirt-laden air is sucked upwardly through passage 3!incover '23 intochamber 38 for discharge through passage 32 into theintake end. i of'the porous filter bag 38, the discharge mouths 38 ofwhich are close'dby'the removable closures ii. When the filter bagand/0r "tank require emptying, cover 23 is removed from the machinetopermit thebag and/ or tank to be withdrawn, the closures ii and detached'frcm the "bag, and the bag and/or tank emptied. v

While I have described the preferred form of my invention'somewhatdetail, it is tobe understood that I may vary the form and arrangementsof partscomprising my device within wide limits without departing fromthe spirit of the inven-'- tion. 7

Having thus described my invention, 'w'h'atfi -'claim as new is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, a tank open at its upperend-and having an intakefor dirt-laden air,a cover removably assembled to the open end of saidtank and having an inlet passage communicating with the interior of thetank and an air'discharge passage extending laterally across the top ofthe cover and discharging 'exte'riorly of the tank, "an annular filterbag surrounding the side wall of the tank and detachably assembled at{its upper end to said cover, said bag having aninlet portion incommunication with said-discharge passage of the cover and having atleast one opening 'for emptying the dirt accumulating within .said bag,a removable closure for'the dirt-empty Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7inclusive, there is 1Q Formed integral with the cover 23 and above thechamber 30 is a housing 34, within whichis mounted a motor 33, on thedriving shaft .36 of rate removable closure for each dirt-emptying 7opening.

'3. The structure "of'claim 1 wherein the cover is formed to provide achamber overlying the inlet passage therein which communicates with the"interior of the tank, and wherein the suction means consists of a fanmounted within said chamber to rotate in a horizontal plane above saidinlet passage. 4 w f4. The structure of "claim 1 wherein thereisa'protective' grill surrounding the'tank and spaceii therefrom tojdefine therewith an annular space within whichthe filter bag isprotectivelylocatedi '5. The structure of claims wherein thei'nne'r wallof said annular-space is comprised of a'sur iace'of closely disposedprotuberancs.

6. In a vacuum cleaneifl-a tank open at itsupp'ei' end and havinganintake for dirt-laden air, a protective 'grill surrounding the sidewall "er-the tank and spaced therefrom tode'fine'therewith "an annularSpace, a cover "removabl yfassembledfto' the 'open'end of said tank,andhavinga chainber provided with 'an' inlet opening communicating withthe interior of the tank with a discharge passage terminatingexteriorlyoi the tank, a fafi located within said chamber, a motorsurmount 'ingfsai'd cover and having a shaft to"whic'h saidfan'is'assembled, an annular filterbag detachably mounted inthe spacebetween the side wallofthe tank and said grid andhav'ing an'inletportion in communication with the discharge, passage -from said'fanchamber "and having at least ens opening for emptying the dirtaccumulating within said bag, anda removableclosure'forthe dirt-emptyingopeningof sai'cl'bag. ""1 h V '7. The structure'of claimfi'wherein themotor shaft is vertically alined vvi-ththe 'fli nlet "opening ofthe'-cover which communicates was the iiiterior'of the tankandft'h'efan' 'is'm'ounted on "said shaft to rotate in a horizontal plane abovesaid there is a separate removable closure for each dirt-emptyingopening.

REFERENCES CITED .The following referencesareof record Finithe file "ofthis patent:

.IINITED szmmnssmrsrrrs "Date Number Name 1,415,773 Bimm May 9;19'222,247,472 Bible July 1, 1941 2,364,87 7 Smellie Dec. 12, 1944 JOHN F.CAVANAGH'. V

